The bad husband went also.  He was astonished that his wife was not at home, and that a pretty woman was living there alone.  He bowed to the lady and avowed his love.  The lady at first refused to believe him, and said:  “If you will leave the woman who is now your wife and come to live with me right along I will take you for my husband.”  The man agreed, and went to live with the pretty woman.

The other woman was very angry when she heard the news, for it was reported that the pretty woman was the man’s first wife, who had been changed by a witch.  She determined to try what the witch could do for her, and went to get water at the same well.

The witch appeared and asked:  “Why are you weeping, my good woman?” The woman told her that her husband had gone away to live with the pretty woman.  As she was speaking, the witch touched her face, and said:  “Go home, my good woman, and do not weep, for your husband will come very soon to see you.”

When she heard this she ran home as fast as she could.  All the people whom she met on the road were afraid of her, because she was so ugly.  Her nose was about two feet long, her ears looked like large handkerchiefs, and her eyes were as big as saucers.  Nobody recognized her, not even her mother.  All were afraid of such a creature.  When she saw in the glass how ugly she was, she refused to eat, and in a few days she died.

CHAPTER 6

The Living Head.

There once lived a man and his wife who had no children.  They earnestly desired to have a son, so they prayed to their God, Diva, that he would give them a son, even if it were only a head.

Diva pitied them, and gave them a head for a son.  Head, for that was his name, grew up, and gradually his father and mother ceased to think of his misfortune, and grew to love him very much.

One day Head saw the chief’s daughter pass the house, and fell in love with her.  “Mother,” he said, “I am in love with the chief’s daughter and wish to marry her.  Go now, I pray you, to the chief and ask him to give me his daughter to be my wife.”  “Dear Head,” answered his mother, “it is of no use to go on such an errand, the chief’s daughter will surely not be willing to marry only a head.”  But Head insisted, so, in order to quiet him, his mother went to the chief and made known her son’s desire.  Of course she met with a refusal, and returned home and told Head the result of her errand.

Head went downstairs into the garden and began to sink into the ground.

“Head, come up,” said his mother, “and let us eat.”

“Sink! sink! sink!” cried Head.

“Head, come up and let us eat!” repeated his mother.

“Sink! sink! sink!” was Head’s answer, and he continued to sink until he could no longer be seen.  His mother tried in vain to take him out.  After a while a tree sprang up just where Head had sunk, and in a short time it bore large, round fruit, almost as large as a child’s head.  This is the origin of the orange-tree.